Clutch disc

ABSTRACT

Clutch disc includes a hub, an entrainer plate coaxially mounted on and turnable relative to the hub, a pair of friction linings mounted coaxially to one another on the hub adjacent the entrainer plate, a cover disc coaxially mounted on the hub in spaced relationship to the entrainer plate which is turnable relative thereto, rivet means connecting the cover disc to the entrainer plate, a damping device disposed in a force transmission path between the pair of friction linings, on the one hand, and between the entrainer plate and the hub, on the other hand, the damping device comprising force storing means operatively connected to the hub and to the entrainer plate, damping lining means coaxially mounted on the hub, and a spring member in stressing engagement with the damping lining means for frictionally connecting the latter to the entrainer plate, the spring member being coaxially mounted on the hub between the relatively turnable entrainer plate and cover disc, the spring member having an annular surface engaging the damping lining means and having means engageable with a peripheral contour of the rivet means interconnecting the entrainer disc and the cover disc for securing the spring member, at a location radially beyond the damping lining means, against turning.

United States Patent Maucher CLUTCH DISC [72] Inventor: Paul Maucher, 1mFinkengarten,

7571 Neuweier, Germany [22] Filed: April 21, 1970 [21] App]. No.: 30,483

8/1966 Stromberg 192/1062 Primary Examiner-Benjamin W. Wyche AssistantExaminer-Randall Heald Attorney-Curt M. Avery, Arthur E. Wilfond,Herbert L. Lerner and Daniel J. Tick [57] ABSTRACT Clutch disc includesa hub, an entrainer plate coaxi 1 1 Aug. 15, 1972 ally mounted on andtumable relative to the hub, a pair of friction linings mountedcoaxially to one another on the hub adjacent the entrainer plate, acover disc coaxially mounted on the hub in spaced relationship to theentrainer plate which is tumable relative thereto, rivet meansconnecting the cover disc to the entrainer plate, a damping devicedisposed in a force transmission path between the pair of frictionlinings, on the one hand, and between the entrainer plate and the hub,on the other hand, the damping device comprising force storing meansoperatively connected to the hub and to the entrainer plate, dampinglining means coaxially mounted on the hub, and a spring member instressing engagement with the damping lining means for frictionallyconnecting the latter to the entrainer plate, the spring member beingcoaxially mounted on the hub between the relatively tumable entrainerplate and cover disc, the spring member having an annular surfaceengaging the damping lining means and having means engageable with aperipheral contour of the rivet means interconnecting the entrainer discand the cover disc for securing the spring member, at a locationradially beyond the damping lining means, against turning.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAUB 5 m2 3 684.0 70

SHEET 1 OF 3 PATENTEIJ am: 15 m2 SHEET 2 BF 3 My invention relates toclutch disc and, more specifically to such clutch disc having a dampingdevice comprising force storing means located in the force transmissionpath between friction linings and between an entrainer plate connectedby rivets to a cover disc and a hub of the clutch disc, the forcestoring means being in operative connection with the hub and with theentrainer plate coaxial thereto and turnable thereabout as well as withdamping linings that are in frictional engagement with the entrainerplate and with the cover disc and are subjected to the force of a springmember annularly abutting one of the damping linings and securedradially beyond the damping linings against turning thereof. With such aclutch disc such as has become known by the British Pat. No. 909,914 ithas been taught that a uniform bearing pressure over the wearing path ofdamping linings of the clutch disc is attainable by a spring memberwhich has a radial expansion extending beyond that of the dampinglinings. In this known clutch disc, on the outer side of the carrier orentrainer plate and of the cover disc, a dish-like spring member isfirmly riveted, by radially outwardly extending arms thereof, withspacer rivets.

In such known clutch discs, however, both the transverse as well as thelongitudinal stability of the clutch disc are not ensured because thecentering guidance of the disc parts relatively turnable about the hubno longer results from the entrainer plate and the cover disc but ratheris effected either by only the one cover disc and the unstable springmember or, however, in another embodiment, solely by two unstable springmembers that are riveted to the outer sides of the carrier or entrainerplate and the cover disc. Such a clutch disc is thus exceptionallyunstable and especially during axial displacement on the keyed shaft andduring the assembly process is extremely sensitive and susceptible totrouble. Moreover, due to the riveting of the spring member on the outerside of the clutch disc, the characteristic curve of such a springelement is distorted so that an optimal uniform prestress over the pathof wear of the damping linings is unstable.

It is accordingly an object of my invention to provide a clutch discwhich avoids the aforementioned disadvantages of the heretofore knownclutch disc of this general type and to provide a novel clutch discwherein the damping effect over the entire life span of the clutch andover the path of wear of the damping linings exhibits an optimalconstant value without suffering a loss in the stability thereof.Further objects of my invention is to provide such a clutch disc whichrequires a markedly low headroom, which is relatively simple to assembleand which can be produced economically.

With the foregoing and other objects in view I proother hand, thedamping device comprising force storing means operatively connected tothe hub and to the entrainer plate, damping lining means coaxiallymounted on the hub, and a spring member in stressing engagement with thedamping lining means for fric-- tionally connecting the latter to theentrainer plate, the spring member being coaxially mounted on the hubbetween the relatively turnable entrainer plate and cover disc, thespring member having an annular surface engaging the damping liningmeans and having means engageable with a peripheral contour of the videin accordance with my invention clutch disc comrivet meansinterconnecting the entrainer disc and the cover disc for securing thespring member, at a location radially beyond the damping lining means,against tummg.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention the spring membermeans that are engageable with the peripheral contour of the rivet meanscomprise radially extending arms of which at least one at least partlyengages the rivet means.

By such construction and arrangement of the spring member, which onlyloosely abuts the rivet means at the peripheral surface thereof and isno longer firmly riveted to either the entrainer plate or the cover discthis spring member can automatically adjust to increasing wear of thedamping linings, and a distortion of the characteristic curve of thespring; due to riveting does not occur.

The arms extending from the spring member and at least partly engagingthe rivet means, in accordance with a further feature of the invention,abut either the outer diametrical region of the cover disc or theentrainer plate.

In accordance with other features of the invention, the prestressing ofthe spring member is effected by standing away or being bent toward onedirection and/or the spring member is prestressed by a collar located atthe rivet means, In accordance with an additional feature of theinvention, the clutch disc is provided with a spring element having aprestressing and accordingly a characteristic curve which issubstantially of the same value over the entire path of wear of thedamping linings.

Other features which are considered as characteristic for the inventionare set forth in the appended claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodiedin clutch disc, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to thedetails shown, since various modifications and structural changes may bemade therein without departing from the spirit of the invention andwithin the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

The construction and method of operation of the invention, however,together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be bestunderstood from the following description of specific embodiments whenread in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view partly broken away, of a clutch disc constructedin accordance with my invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the lines II-II in thedirection of the arrows; and

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view corresponding to that of FIG. 2showing a modified form of the clutch disc of my invention.

Referring now to the drawings and first particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2thereof, there is shown a clutch disc according to my invention having apair of friction linings 1 and 2 which are riveted in a conventionalmanner by rivets 3 and 4 to resilient segments 5. For furtherinformation regarding such construction reference can be had to thecopending application Ser. No. 30,482, filed Apr. 21, 1970, of which Iam coinventor. The segments 5 are in turn connected by rivets 6 to anentrainer plate 7 which is in turn riveted to a cover disc 9 by spacerrivets 8. The entrainer plate 7 and the cover disc 9 are coaxiallymounted so that they are fixed in radial direction on a hub 10 but arerelatively tumable about the hub 10.

A damping device is provided in the force transmission path between thefriction linings l and 2, on the one hand, and between the entrainerplate 7 and the cover disc 9 connected therewith by the spacer rivets 8as well as the hub 10, on the other hand. The damping device is formedof compression springs 11 and 11 which are received in window-shapedrecesses 12 and 12' formed peripherally in a flange 13 extending fromthe hub 10. The compression springs 11 and 11' are held laterally bywindow-shaped recesses l4, l4 and l5, 15 formed respectively in theentrainer plate 7 and the cover disc 9 and being respectively inregistry with the window-shaped recesses 12 and 12. The compressionsprings 11 and 11 cooperate with one of the substantially radiallydirected end contours 16, 17 and 16, 17' or l8, l9 and 18, 19, dependingupon the direction of force transmission. The damping device alsoincludes damping'linings 20 and 21 which are disposed coaxially on thehub 10 and abut the hub flange l3, and of which one thereof is infrictional engagement with the diametrical inner region of the carrieror entrainer plate 7 and the other of which with the spring member 22.The spring member 22 is disposed in the space between the clutchcomponents, namely the entrainer plate 7 and the cover disc 9, which aretumable relative to one another, and the radial arms 23 and 24 of thespring member 22 abut the outer diametrical region of the cover disc 2.The arm 24 loosely engages peripheral contours of the rivet 8 so as toprotect against twisting or turning of the spring member 22. By thisconstruction of the spring member 22, the stability of the clutch discis not weakened and the spring member 22 can automatically adjust inaccordance with the wear of the damping linings 20 and 21. In theforegoing embodiment, the spring member 22 is of substantially annularconstruction substantially over that diarnetrical region wherein thedamping linings 20 and 21 extend, and the arms 23 and 24 extend radiallyupwardly over and beyond the region in which the damp ing linings 20 and21 are located.

The prestressing of the spring member 22 is efiected in a directiontoward the damping lining 21 by having the spring element stand away orbend like a dish or plate spring in that direction.

The prestressing of the spring member 22 can also be efiected, however,for example in the manner shown in the embodiment of FIG. 3 wherein asingle or several arms 25 extending from the spring element 22, whichhas a planar construction before assembly of the clutch disc, is forcedto bend against a collar 8' formed at the li liy invention is notlimited to the hereinbefore described and illustrated embodiments. Forexample, the spring member which is located between the clutchcomponents that are tumable relative to one another can have a differentshape than the illustrated shapes, and the abutment of the spring memberat the rivets to ensure against relative turning can be effected inanother manner than that actually shown in the figures.

lclaim:

1. Clutch disc comprising a hub, an entrainer plate coaxi ly mounted onand turnable relative'to said hub, a pair of friction linings mountedcoaxially to one another on said hub adjacent said entrainer plate, acover disc coaxially mounted on said hub in spaced relationship to saidentrainer plate which is tumable relative thereto, rivet meanscomprising a plurality of peripherally spaced rivets connecting saidcover disc to said entrainer plate, a damping device disposed in a forcetransmission path between said pair of friction linings, on the onehand, and between said entrainer plate and said hub, on the other hand,said damping device comprising force storing means operatively connectedto a flange of said hub and at least to said entrainer plate, dampinglining means coaxially mounted on said hub, and a spring member instressing engagement with said damping lining means for frictionallyconnecting the latter to said entrainer plate, said spring member beingcoaxially mounted on said hub between said relatively tumable entrainerplate and cover disc, said spring member having an annular surfaceportion engaging said damping lining means and having radially outwardlyextending arms loosely and non-clampingly engageable with a peripheralcontour of said rivets individually, and interconnecting said entrainerdisc and said cover disc for securing said spring member, at a locationradially beyond said damping lining means, against turning, whileleaving said spring member, at least in the region thereof within saiddamping lining means, freely movable in axial direction thereof forapplying a spring force in said axial direction.

2. Clutch disc according to claim 1, wherein said spring member and saidarms thereof abut a collar respectively formed on said rivets.

3. Clutch disc according to claim 1, wherein part of said spring memberstands away in a given direction from a given plane in which theremainder of said spring member is disposed.

4. Clutch disc according to claim 2, wherein said spring member is inprestressing engagement with said collars of said rivets.

5. Clutch disc according to claim 1, wherein said spring element isprestressed substantially uniformly over said path of wear of saiddamping linings.

Patent No. 3,684,070

included:

. Attesting' Officer Invancor(s)'PAUL MAUCHER It is certified.chat-error appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected es show-m below:

In the heading to the printed specification there should be .Forei n"Application Priority Data, April 22', 1969' Germany .G69 15999.5-7301-- also --Asignee: v LUK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbH-Signed and sealed this 9th day of April 197 11 (SEAL) Attest:

- I-LFLETCHER JR. EDWARD Commissioner of Patent C. MARSHALL DANN

1. Clutch disc comprising a hub, an entrainer plate coaxially mounted onand turnable relative to said hub, a pair of friction linings mountedcoaxially to one another on said hub adjacent said entrainer plate, acover disc coaxially mounted on said hub in spaced relationship to saidentrainer plate which is turnable relative thereto, rivet meanscomprising a plurality of peripherally spaced rivets connecting saidcover disc to said entrainer plate, a damping device disposed in a forcetransmission path between said pair of friction linings, on the onehand, and between said entrainer plate and said hub, on the other hand,said damping device comprising force storing means operatively connectedto a flange of said hub and at least to said entrainer plate, dampinglining means coaxially mounted on said hub, and a spring member instressing engagement with said damping lining means for frictionallyconnecting the latter to said entrainer plate, said spring member beingcoaxially mounted on said hub between said relatively turnable entrainerplate and cover disc, said spring member having an annular surfaceportion engaging said damping lining means and having radially outwardlyextending arms loosely and non-clampingly engageable with a peripheralcontour of said rivets individually, and interconnecting said entrainerdisc and said cover disc for securing said spring member, at a locationradially beyond said damping lining means, against turning, whileleaving said spring member, at least in the region thereof within saiddamping lining means, freely movable in axial direction thereof forapplying a spring force in said axial direction.
 2. Clutch discaccording to claim 1, wherein said spring member and said arms thereofabut a collar respectively formed on said rivets.
 3. Clutch discaccording to claim 1, wherein part of said spring member stands away ina given direction from a given plane in which the remainder of saidspring member is disposed.
 4. Clutch disc according to claim 2, whereinsaid spring member is in prestressing engagement with said collars ofsaid rivets.
 5. Clutch disc according to claim 1, wherein said springelement is prestressed substantially uniformly over said path of wear ofsaid damping linings.